Pollution levels over 100 times the safe limit have been discovered in the River Cam as the ongoing heatwave suffocates rivers.
A local sewage plant is being blamed for a spike in the level of phosphates in the 40-mile chalk stream, as Anglian Water said it had switched off technology designed to filter out the nutrient, citing difficulties transporting the necessary chemicals.
The problem is exacerbated by the ongoing hot weather, as high temperatures encourage the growth of algae, which lowers the level of oxygen in a river.
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How new smart watches could spot Sepsis in at-risk patients
(Photo: Supplied).
NHS England will give patients at risk of deadly sepsis wearable technology to help prevent up to 1,000 deaths a year.
What is sepsis?
Sepsis most commonly develops from a bacterial infection, with symptoms in adults including confusion or slurred speech, uncontrollable shivering, muscle pain and difficulty breathing.
Asia patient woman lying on the bed with saline solution and syringe line on her hand in hospital ward. Emergency and treatment. Healthcare and medical concept – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
Caption: E.coli bacteria. Coloured scanning electron micrograph of the rod-shaped, Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli, commonly known as E. coli. These bacteria are normal inhabitants of the human intestine (also animal intestines) and are usually harmless. Under certain conditions E. coli may increase in number and cause infection. Serotypes of E. coli are responsible for gastroenteritis in children, particularly in tropical countries. In adults it is the cause of ‘traveller’s diarrhoea’; and of 80% of all urinary tract infections. E.coli 0157:H7 can cause additional complications in children and the elderly; renal failure, anaemia, and dehydration especially for children and spontaneous bleeding, organ failure, and mental changes in the elderly. Some of these patients develop permanent disabilities or die. Magnification: x4000 when printed at 10 centimetres wide
Photographer: STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO
Provider: Getty Images/Science Photo Libra
Source: Science Photo Library RF
Copyright: Science Photo Library
The UK Sepsis Trust estimates that some 48,000 deaths each year in the UK have sepsis as a factor, with thousands of these cases being preventable.
New measures to fight sepsis
Improved monitoring
NHS England said it will aim to limit preventable deaths from sepsis by 2035 through improved monitoring.
Caption: Vital signs monitor, digital and hospital with EKG machine, electronic and medical equipment to help. Emergency, stats and computer in ICU, clinic and healthcare, life and science with technology
Photographer: Bevan Goldswain
Provider: Getty Images
Source: E+
Copyright: PeopleImages.com – #3016886
Smartwatch Doing EKG Cardiogram On Man’s Wrist During Sleep – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
New technology
The health service will provide wearable devices such as watches or bracelets to monitor those at risk of sepsis.
Preventing deaths
Sepsis causes 4,000 deaths a year in England, with a quarter of these preventable.
The BMA is in a long-running dispute with the Government (Photo: Lynne Cameron/PA)
How will the devices work?
The devices work by tracking the blood pressure and heart rate of at-risk individuals.
If a person’s condition deteriorates, their device will flag that they need to be tested for sepsis.
If sepsis is detected quickly, the chance of survival improves.
LIFESTYLE
5 min read
Drought proof your garden (Photo: Guido Mieth/Getty/Moment RF)
news
The best ways gardeners can help bees during the heatwave
Gardeners are being urged to take action to support bees, insects and other pollinators that are coming under threat from successive heatwaves.
A warning to gardeners
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has warned that gardens may become less hospitable to pollinators as hot conditions continue and water resources grow increasingly stretched.
Caption: File photo dated 16/7/2018 of flowers being watered from a garden hose. Parched parts of England are facing a hosepipe ban amid very dry conditions and ahead of another predicted heatwave. Southern Water announced the move from Friday for customers in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, while the measure will follow in exactly a week for South East Water customers in Kent and Sussex. Issue date: Friday August 5, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story ENVIRONMENT Drought. Photo credit should read: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire
Photographer: Gareth Fuller
Provider: PA
Source: PA
A bumble bee passes nectar from her fore legs to hind legs (Photo: National Geographic)
It comes off the back of the UK’s third record-breaking heatwave in just three months, and hosepipe ban announcements for a large part of south-east England.
How does the heat harm pollinators?
1Insects such as bumblebees can overheat very quickly and struggle to fly when temperatures soar above 30°C.
2Heatwaves take an increasing toll on bees, as plants produce less nectar and fade more quickly.
3This also disrupts the larvae of other pollinators, like butterflies, which may not complete their life cycle if host plants dry out.
4Pollinators like hoverflies, that rely on aquatic conditions for their larval stage, can be impacted when water sources dry up.
How can you help?
The new Natural History GCSE is under development by OCR (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Grow and maintain a diverse range of long-flowering, pollinator-friendly plants such as Salvia “blue spire”.
Put out a small “bee drinker” water source for pollinators and store rainwater to top up water features.
A garden pond can be a haven for insects (Sarah Lee/GardenWorldImages)
Follow some simple tips for a blooming garden this summer (Photo: Cavan Images/Getty)
Move bee hotels and pots of flowering patio plants into the shade.
politics
All the taxes Andy Burnham could raise or cut
Caption: Andy Burnham, British member of parliament (MP) for Makerfield, delivers a speech at the People’s History Museum in Manchester, Britain, June 29, 2026. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja
Photographer: Temilade Adelaja
Provider: REUTERS
Source: REUTERS
Andy Burnham is on track to become the next prime minister in a matter of days, but questions remain over what he will actually do once he’s there – and what his premiership could mean for your finances.
What has Burnham said so far?
Andy Burnham is on course to be prime minister by the end of the month (Photo: PA)
Manifesto pledge
Burnham has said he will stick to Labour’s pledge not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT.
Day-today spending
He also said he will follow Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s fiscal rules, requiring day-to-day spending to be covered by tax revenue and public debt to fall as a share of the economy.
Caption: Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham selling poppies with Royal British Legion veterans at Manchester Piccadilly Station. Picture date: Thursday November 7, 2024.
Photographer: Danny Lawson
Provider: PA
Source: PA Archive
Andy Burnham, holding a copy of the UK Defence Investment Plan during an appearance on the Tonight with Andrew Marr show on LBC (Photo: PA)
Room for improvement
Burnham has also given hints about his priorities, telling LBC there was “some room” for movement on tax.
Burnham’s likely picks
Reducing business rates
Burnham has previously pledged to cut business rates for pubs, clubs and music venues by 20 per cent and raise the threshold before smaller hospitality and retail firms start paying business rates.
Income tax devolution
This would let regional mayors set their own income tax rates for their area. Devolution is already a core part of Burnham’s offer.
Personal allowance
Burnham said he wants his team to “have a proper look” at raising the threshold, allowing people to keep more of their pay before tax kicks in.
LIFESTYLE
4 min read
Watch more from The i Paper
EXCLUSIVE | Nigel Farage turned down taxpayer-funded security including a bodyguard, car and trained driver last year, @theipaper has learned. The Reform UK leader was offered the protection following police advice on the threats he faced. He had already been receiving publicly-funded security prior to this, and felt that his package had been downgraded. A Reform spokesman suggested Farage needed stronger protection than the leader of the opposition, telling The i Paper he is “the most targeted politician in Britain and the only party leader who actually goes out to meet the public in huge numbers on the campaign trail”. The spokesman also denied that Farage rejected protection, adding: “He declined a downgraded and inadequate package.” Read more at the link above ⬆️ #NigelFarage #Reform #UKPolitics #MPs
♬ original sound – The i Paper – The i Paper
How exercise and diet ‘boosts memory in those with dementia risk’
A study found cognition, memory and executive function were all improved by a structured programme of exercise and brain-healthy food.
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 2: Pensioners exercise during a fitness class for older people November 2, 2004 in London. The class is part of the government’s National Service Framework for Older People scheme which promotes independence and well-being for older people. (Photo by Ian Waldie/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
Photographer: Ian Waldie
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2004 Getty Images
How the study worked
Participants were deemed to be at risk of developing dementia due to age or factors such as high blood pressure.
Half completed a two-year programme of exercise sessions four days a week alongside personalised dietary advice.
Activities were tailored to local culture and included salsa dancing.
Diets were affordable and easy to source locally.
LIFESTYLE
5 min read
The story in numbers
1,000 patients
The two-year study included more than 1,000 patients aged 60 to 77 across 11 Latin American countries.
It concluded the exercise, diet and socialising plan followed by half the group generally left them with better memory.
1.4 million
Currently, around 1 million people in the UK have dementia.
Alzheimer’s Society estimates this number will grow to 1.4 million by 2040.
What does this mean?
Researchers said that the findings, published in The Lancet, suggest that “harmonised, non-pharmacological interventions can be implemented across diverse sociocultural settings”.
They added the programme had produced “measurable cognitive benefits in older adults”.
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 10: Sian Welby takes part in an art class during her visit to Wandsworth Common Care Home ahead of Care Home Open Week on June 10, 2025 in London, England. The radio DJ regularly campaigns for dementia awareness, having shared her own experiences following her father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images)
Photographer: Tristan Fewings
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2025 Getty Images
LIFESTYLE
4 min read
SCIENCE
Are women really better at multitasking?
Caption: MAJADAHONDA, MADRID, SPAIN – MAY 11. Virginia Bejar, the photographer’s partner, strives to work at home while holding her six-month-old daughter Olivia, also the photographer’s daughter, during the Covid-19 lockdown on May 11, 2020, in Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain. Some parts of Spain have entered “Phase One” of transition from the coronavirus lockdown, allowing many shops to reopen as well as restaurants who serve customers outdoors. Locations that were harder hit by coronavirus (COVID-19), such as Madrid and Barcelona, remain in a stricter “Phase 0” quarantine. Across the country workers who can do their jobs from home like Bejar are obliged to do so. In fact,??? most business offices still remain closed. (Photo by Miguel Pereira/Getty Images)
Photographer: Miguel Pereira
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
A new study has defied the stereotype, finding women and men have the same multitasking abilities.
But it also found that men are worse at answering questions while doing other tasks under pressure.
What does the study tell us?
The study challenged men and women to a series of tests they had to juggle for 10 minutes.
There were no gender differences in the ability to balance these tasks and accomplish them.
But it found that men were more than twice as likely to fall silent as women – failing to respond to 28 per cent of questions versus just 12 per cent for women.
Another group were asked to observe this footage. They reported the men looked more miserable and less able to concentrate.
This indicates men merely give the appearance they cannot multitask.
Who did the study and why?
The study, published in Psychological Research, was conducted by husband and wife André Szameitat and Diana Szameitat.
Their experience raising two children inspired the research and format of the 10-minute multitasking test.
Caption: Berlin, Germany – March 23: In this Photo Illustration about workload a man sitting at a desk exhausted on March 23, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo Illustration by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)
Photographer: Thomas Trutschel
Provider: Photothek via Getty Images
Source: Photothek
Big Read
7 min read
The key takeaway
Reduced talkativeness in the workplace may be perceived as impolite or even rude…Future research should examine whether training might help maintain verbal abilities under pressure.
Dr André Szameitat, co-author of the study
Caption: 1960s FRUSTRATED YOUNG REDHEADED WOMAN TRYING TO ANSWER HANDLE FIVE TELEPHONE RECEIVERS STUDIO (Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images)
Photographer: DreamMedia
Source: Archive Photos
Caption: Arms shoving a small piece of luggage to the top shelf of an aircraft
Photographer: yacobchuk
Provider: Getty Images
Source: iStockphoto
TRAVEL
Everything we know about new hand luggage rules
Under new rules from the European Parliament, airline passengers will have better rights to compensation, seating fees and – crucially – cabin baggage allowances.
What you need to know
The new rules include the right to carry on board one cabin bag up to 40x30x15cm, without an additional fee.
Airlines like Ryanair, EasyJet and Wizz Air will no longer be allowed to charge passengers extra for this.
The cabin bag is in addition to the small personal item already allowed for free.
The new rules will come into force in 2027.
TRAVEL
4 min read
How does this affect UK travellers?
Flights to the EU from the UK will not technically have to comply with these rules.
But, according to Which?, the reality is that airlines will apply the same rules both ways as the alterative would be “impractical”.
It is also understood that Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is considering implementing the same rules here, too.
LIFESTYLE
4 min read
NEWS
3 min read
“We’re seeing lots of… tiny little fish that are dead already, and that’s almost certainly because there’s not enough oxygen to sustain them,” said Bill Allum of the Newport River Group, which measures levels of pollution in the river.
Phosphorus 100 times above safe level
The Newport River Group, which is made up of a team of local villagers, began monitoring phosphate levels in the Cam as part of a citizen science programme supported by Anglian Water since 2023.
At the end of June, the group discovered the phosphate level in the water was 10 milligrams per litre, which is 100 times higher than Anglian Water’s target for ecologically sensitive water bodies.
The River Cam is home to an array of species, including trout, kingfisher and the critically endangered European eel, but these animals are threatened due to excess nutrient pollution in the river.
Phosphorus is a nutrient found in human waste. It is harmless to human health by itself, but it can create toxic algae blooms when found in high volumes in rivers.
These toxic blooms can cause health problems, such as infection, skin damage or vomiting for humans or animals that come into contact with them.
Phosphate pollution is also devastating for the species living within the River Cam – a rare type of waterway known as a chalk stream. These are often referred to as ‘England’s rainforests’ due to the diverse ecosystems they can support.
The algae and weed growth generated by phosphorus reduces oxygen and leaves very little for the creatures that live in the river. Hot weather exacerbates the problem with dry conditions decreasing river flow and plants needing more oxygen to stay alive.
Bill Allum of the Newport River Group measuring phosphate levels in the River Cam
Sewage plant blamed for high phosphate levels
The spike in phosphate levels was recorded in the village of Newport in Essex next to a sewage treatment plant operated by Anglian Water.
High levels of phosphorus can be found in treated sewage; however, modern treatment plants use technology to remove the pollutant before wastewater is discharged back into the river.
Upgrades are planned at the Newport plant; however, Anglian Water is yet to begin the work.
Temporary phosphate stripping technology was installed in December, however, the water company said it had to turn this off as it was struggling to safely transport the necessary chemicals it needed to treatment plant.
Allum said the group noticed a drop in phosphate levels after the technology was installed, but the levels began exceeding the recommended limit again in April, which is when Anglian Water confirmed it had removed the equipment.
A spokesperson for the firm said they expected to turn the technology back on “within the next few weeks”.
Wildlife under threat
Excessive phosphate levels are damaging this “rare and precious” ecosystem, Allum said.
“You can look at the bottoms of the river and it’s flowing with algae, which is using up huge amounts of oxygen,” he said, adding that fish would likely still survive if “the conditions were wetter and there was more water”.
There are only around 200 chalk streams in the world, 85% of which are found in England, but many are in poor health.
According to Allum, the polluted river has devastated local wildlife: “In the past, people tell us how much better it was, how often you’d see kingfishers and broods of ducklings. The kids would go paddling and catch lots of sticklebacks. Now, if we find one or two [fish] when we do our river testing, it’s a good day.”
He said rivers across the country are suffering pollution from sewage plants, which are “choking the life out of these once beautiful streams”.
The i Paper has been calling on the Government to give the Environment Agency (EA) more resources to pursue water companies damaging high-priority areas like chalk streams as part of its Save Britain’s Rivers campaign.
An Anglian Water spokesperson said the firm was investing in “our region’s precious chalk streams” and that the Newport scheme is “one of the 198 phosphorus obligations we are busy working on”.